RE: elevator direction
If you plan to fly without an instructor, you really should grab your radio's instruction manual and read through it. You'll find things in there about reversing servo direction.
Everything that you find in that manual that makes little sense to you is basically something that will probably contribute to a problem you'll have. See a lot of things in there that don't make sense to you? See why we're advising you to seek out a club and find someone to fly with.